Change
by Kumiho
Summary: There's going to be a change up in Konoha. What will be the outcome? Friendship/Adventure/possible Romance
1. Chapter 1

One

"Are you sure about this Kakashi?"asked the Lady Hokage.

"You have doubts?" he asks in return.

"Hmmm..." Tsunade paced a little behind her desk. Her pointer finger tapped her pursed lips, she was deep in thought.

"I like your idea...but you know we'll hear complaints, and I _really_ do not feel like listening to them, especially at a time like this."

She was looking out of the large window now.

"With the stress of the looming war, I may just punch someone through a wall...and we really can't afford injuring any of our own shinobi."

He knows she's not joking. Tsunade lets out a sigh and turns around to face him.

"Alright," she consents. "It'll be good for them. But you're arranging it all and dealing with the aftermath, I still have endless things to do here."

"Hai!"

* * *

A somewhat large sized group lounged around one of the training grounds on this beautifully warm and sunny day.

They were talking to each other, still sitting within their respective teams, underneath the shading that the trees had so kindly offered to them.

"He's late," complained Ino.

"He's always late," Sakura replied with a sigh while twirling her hair.

"I wonder why he summoned all of us here," Kiba thought aloud.

As if on cue, Kakashi flashed right before their eyes, greeting them with a nonchalant, "Yo."

"Finally," huffed Ino.

"Gather 'round everyone, I need your attention for a moment, " Kakashi commanded while gently waving his hand for them to come to him.

Teams 7, 8 and 10 collected themselves and stood before the silver haired jounin.

"Kakashi-sensei what's going on? Are we all going on a mission together?" Naruto asked while looking around. "This is a lot of people for a single mission don't ya think?"

"Sensei's probably just here to assign all of our teams' their own mission," Choji says to Naruto.

"Actually, you're both right," Kakashi says with his index finger pointed upwards.

"Huh?" the two boys question in unison.

Confused glances were exchanged.

"Team 7, Team 8, Team 10," starts Kakashi in an authoritative voice.

"You are all disbanded."

Momentary silence falls upon them, eyes bulging out of their sockets.

"WHAT?"

Their combined screams rattle the nearby trees.

A huge commotion erupts and it looks like the young ninja are yelling at each other more so than the person who gave them the shocking news.

Kakashi lets out a helpless sigh and whips out his book from his back pocket to wait out this hormonal storm.

Not everyone is acting crazy, just the usual suspects...the loud ones.

_Sigh. It's too noisy. Guess I should say something. How troublesome._

"Let's hear what Kakashi-sensei has to say," Shikamaru says in an unusually loud voice. He doesn't like to raise his voice, it takes too much effort. But the blaring noise was just too much for even him to keep quiet about.

It seems that they had completely forgotten about the one person that got them all riled up in the first place.

Kakashi peeks out at them from behind his book. _And I was just getting to the good part..._

"There's no need to get all worked up. I have a mission for all of you...but there's a catch."

Well if they weren't confused before, they were now.

As Naruto was about to say something, Kakashi intervened.

"Let me explain the whole thing before we waste any more time."

Everyone else shuts their mouths and listens.

"This is actually more of an exercise, but I want you all to treat it as a serious mission. Tsunade-sama signed off on this, so no joking around."

Kakashi continues.

"Three teams will set off in three different directions to capture a criminal on our wanted list. Team Gai would have been included, but they are currently out on another mission and won't be back for awhile."

The youth stare at him blankly.

"It's a competition."

The teens' ears perk up at the word 'competition'.

"It's only a competition if there's a prize," Sakura says with a flicker of hope and fire in her eyes.

"The first team to bring their criminal back will receive a prize," announced Kakashi.

Most of the group jump up in glee and cheer.

"Our team will win for sure, they have me on it!" bragged Naruto, pointing to himself proudly.

"Team 8 isn't called the tracking team for nothing, we'll find the guy in a flash," counters Kiba, rubbing his index finger under his skilled nose.

"Everybody knows that Team 10 has the best teamwork out of all of you," Ino says and sticks her tongue out at them.

"Sensei," proclaimed Shino. "Didn't you say something about our teams being disbanded?"

"Ah yes. There's one rule in this little competition of ours. All current teams will be temporarily disbanded. I will reassign all of you into three new teams of three."

"Aww man," wails Kiba.

"But why?" whines Naruto.

"Kakashi-sensei, I think I speak for all of us when I say that the teams we're in now are the strongest teams that can be made out of the nine of us," Sakura tries to reason. "We're..."

"Comfortable," interrupts Kakashi. "Too comfortable. I won't argue that the teams you are in now are very strong and able. But there will come a time when you will need to work with other shinobi, shinobi that you won't even be familiar with. So just look at this as a warm up for what's to come in the future. At least you all know each other."

The teens let his words sink in. Varied thoughts pop into their heads.

_It can't be that bad._

_Troublesome._

_How can I win now?_

...

_I don't like change._

"So...what are the new teams?" questioned Choji.

"I am so glad you asked," Kakashi said lightheartedly, with a smile.

"Can we pick?" asked Ino.

"No. I have already made up my mind on who will be placed where."

Kakashi takes out a little piece of paper from the front pocket of his vest.

Deep breaths are taken as they all listen closely.

"When I call your name, step forward."

"Ino."

"Shino."

"Naruto. You are the first group."

_Ugh, I have that loudmouthed, act first think later Naruto on my team...well at least he's strong. _Ino thought, trying to convince herself that they could win this.

"Next will be..."

"Sakura."

"Choji."

"Kiba. You will make up the second group."

Sakura looked at her new teammates. _Hmmm...not bad, we have strength on our side. Now I need to figure out how to get that prize._

"And that leaves us with our final group..."

The two newly formed teams look around to see who's left.

"Hinata."

"Shikamaru."

"And..."

Everyone else turns their gaze to the last uncalled name.

"Sai."

* * *

**A/N:** Eek! My first multi-chapter story! I started this a long time ago, but kinda just left it hanging on my computer. I wanted to write this to its completion, but I couldn't. So, I figured that if I post it, it'll force me into finishing this thing.

As usual, I apologize if there are any errors.

Hope you enjoyed it so far and thanks for reading! =)


	2. Chapter 2

Two

There was a momentary calm within the group. A slight breeze sweeps by them, causing the leaves to gently rustle in response. The brief silence was soon broken by a fit of giggles, and some even break out in all out laughter.

Kakashi looks around confusedly. _What's so funny?_

"Sensei, really? I mean Hinata is quiet enough as it is, but you put her in a team with the laziest person we know and the socially awkward new guy?" Naruto explains as he wipes the hint of tears at the corner of his eyes from all the laughing. "Shikamaru and Sai don't even show any emotions!"

"Yeah Kakashi-sensei, it took me and Naruto a long time to get used to Sai," adds Sakura. "Hinata will be too nervous to say anything and Shikamaru probably won't put in any effort to...well to do anything."

Kiba and Shino look over to their friend. _Poor Hinata. If she wasn't quiet and shy before, this will put her over the edge. _

_I hope Shikamaru at least tries, _Ino thought while shaking her head. _At least for Hinata's sake, even though they aren't close. Maybe I could get her something after this is over..._

Ino looks over at Choji who just shrugs, he could tell what she was thinking.

As the first two new teams pour their opinions onto their defenseless sensei, members of the third team slowly migrated towards each other, away from the rowdy crowd.

There they stood in a circle/triangle, silently looking at each other, taking in their new teammates.

Oddly enough, Sai was the first one to break the silence.

"I know we aren't familiar with each other and I'm the newest member, which may make it more difficult to communicate with one another, but I hope we can work well together. I will try my best not to trouble you both." Sai finishes with that grin on his face, the one where your can't tell if he's genuine or not.

Hinata looks up from the ground, smiles and nods quickly. "I will try my best as well."

_I'm in a team where Sai is the most talkative one. _Shikamaru chuckles to himself at the amusing thought. "Let's get this over with."

Hinata winces a bit at the comment.

_I don't think that came out right... now I really want to get this over with._

"I mean, I'll try too..."

At that moment, Kakashi calls for a person from each freshly brewed team to collect a scroll with more information on the assignment.

Ino and Sakura enthusiastically step forward to collect their scrolls.

Hinata looked at her cohorts timidly.

Shikamaru gave her a little nod. That was all she needed as Hinata nodded her head in return and went to go acquire the scroll.

They all start to open their scrolls when Kakashi stops them.

"I would read those along the way if I were you. The clock is ticking."

"How are we supposed to know where to go?" asks Choji.

"Choji, your team will be heading west."

"What about us?" inquires Ino.

"You'll be heading south."

Kakashi turns to the quietest team, "You guys will be heading north."

He turns to face everyone now. "You all should head home to pack. This mission will take at least one week, but it could very well take longer, so pack accordingly."

Shikamaru frowns to himself. _T__his is sounding more and more troublesome by the minute._

"You have fifteen minutes to get home, pack, meet up and get out of here...that is unless you want to lose."

"Fifteen minutes?" exclaims Ino.

"It normally takes an hour to pack for a mission Kakashi-sensei, how are we supposed to..." reasons Sakura, but on deaf ears.

"Fourteen minutes," declares their leader.

They get the hint and most of them scatter immediately to get to it. Shikamaru halts his teammates before they get the chance to leave.

"Let's meet up at the training area by my house."

Before any thoughts of a typical Shikamaru being too lazy to meet up somewhere farther enter their minds, he continues, "It's the northern most place we can meet in the village, so it'll save us some time."

Hinata and Sai nod in agreement and the three scatter.

Kakashi is left alone at the training grounds. He walks over to a nice grassy patch under the trees, takes out his Icha Icha and lies down to enjoy some quiet reading. Before opening his book he sighs out (in the words of his dear friend), "Ah, youth..."

Hinata gathers her gear quickly from a floor to ceiling sized dark amber chest against the wall of her bedroom. The chest is dedicated to holding all of her necessary ninja equipment. She's very organized and grabs what may be needed for the mission. After finishing, she flies out of her room and looks for her dad.

She manages to inform him that she will be on a mission, no specifics. He can tell that his daughter is in a rush and nods his head in acknowledgment without any questioning. Hinata quickly bows her head in respect and bolts out of the door.

Shikamaru doesn't take long either. Packing light is the way a shinobi travels. As he makes his way towards the front door, his dad takes notice of his lazy son's urgency to leave.

"Going on a mission?"

"Yeah."

"I'll walk you out."

Shikaku opens the door for them and they step out together. Shikakau is about to say something to his son when he sees a pale-eyed girl about to whiz right by them.

Hinata stops when she sees the father and son in her path. She greets the older Nara by bowing deeply.

"Oh Hinata you're here. I was just leaving."

Shikaku looks at the two and takes a second to realize what's happening.

"You two...are going on a mission...together?"

"Yeah," replies his son. "Sai too."

"Hmmm..." responds Shikaku while nodding. "Well...good luck then you two." He turns to Hinata and continues, "I apologize in advance for my son's behavior. He's not as bad when he's on a mission though, I hope you'll be understanding."

Shikamaru scoffs and rolls his eyes at his dad's unabashed opinion of him.

"Oh not at all Nara-san. I'm lucky to have Shikamaru-kun on our team. I just hope I don't become a hindrance," she said that last part quietly while looking down at her feet.

Shikamaru can already tell that his dad wants to continue this lovely conversation, so he cuts in quickly.

"Well we really need to go now," he says to his pops who looks like he's enjoying this little chat with the young Hyuuga. Shikamaru turns to Hinata, who seems to need a little confidence booster, and declares, "Let's win this thing."

Hinata looks up and smiles at Shikamaru, then turns to Shikaku to bow her farewell.

The teens walk away from the Nara home and hear Shikaku call after them, "Take care of each other!"

Hinata's eyes widen and she blushes at the forwardness of Nara-san. She just lowers her head into the collar of her jacket to hide her embarrassment from the younger Nara just beside her.

Without turning around, Shikamaru waves his hand in the air to show that he had heard.

Shikaku watch as the duo disappear into the trees. He recalls their earlier exchange.

_Win? Hmmm...interesting._

He turns to go back inside and chuckles to himself.

_Maybe I should invite Hiashi over for a game of shogi...Kakashi too._

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading and sorry if there's any mistakes or weirdness.

=)


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